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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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¨.~^%&@### SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ###@&%^~.¨
¨¨.~^%&@## BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. AND A GIFT SHOP. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. CONSIDERED POOR. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨.~^%&@## LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨.~^%&@### PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ###@&%^~.¨
¨¨.~^%&@## SOME ARE SHATTERED. ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ %% %% ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ %% ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨.~^%&@## DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨.~^%&@### BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ###@&%^~.¨
¨¨.~^%&@## DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨.~^%&@## STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨.~^%&@### BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ###@&%^~.¨
¨¨.~^%&@## ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# LIT FROM BEHIND. #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. %% .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ %% %% ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% %% %% %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& %% &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨.~^%&@## STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨.~^%&@### IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ###@&%^~.¨
¨¨.~^%&@## IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨.~^%&@## ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨.~^%&@### THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ###@&%^~.¨
¨¨.~^%&@## WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨.~^%&@## I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨.~^%&@### WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ###@&%^~.¨
¨¨.~^%&@## MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% BECOME STILL. %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ %% ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. %% %% .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨.~^%&@## SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨.~^%&@### AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ###@&%^~.¨
¨¨.~^%&@## ##@&%^~.¨¨
¨¨¨.~^%&@# SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER #@&%^~.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~^%&@ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK @&%^~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~^%& GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND &%^~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^% I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE %^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~^ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ^~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~ ~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
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